


What Lies Within The Fracture

by Felled_and_Fallen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Houseki no Kuni
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Multi, Non-human characters, Science Fiction & Fantasy, space travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-18 23:48:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4724735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felled_and_Fallen/pseuds/Felled_and_Fallen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The remaining organisms of a devastated planet make a contract and from that contract there came new life.</p><p>Heart of stone. A body incapable of tears. </p><p>And yet, weren't we made to be broken?</p><p>Emerald discovers the truth of his people's origins as he and his friends work to protect gem interests throughout the universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Lies Within The Fracture

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU inspired by the manga Houseki no Kuni. I highly recommend giving that a read. It is absolutely stunning.
> 
> I should warn you that I do not refer to the HP characters by their HP names so, if you want to immediately know who I'm talking about, there are character profiles at the bottom.

The giant, violently purple centipede creature oozed a noxious green acid from its roaring mouth as it towered over the team of intergalactic researchers. In the ensuing panic, only a string of hypnotizingly beautiful figures stood unfazed.

One of them raised a hand high into the air and a faceted, brilliantly orange shield descended over the group. Another of them leaped out from the shield’s protection and charged at the monster. The figure’s hands elongated and became twin blades that glittered in the soft half-light of the planet’s one moon. A burst of speed had him running up the many sections of the centipede creature’s body and it gave a final screech as he plunged the blades deep into its cranial cavity.

The figure jumped off the centipede creature’s head as the monster fell with a ground shaking thump and waited patiently as the rest of his compatriots slid across the sandy dunes toward him.

“My God, what the hell was that?” one of the researchers asked, voice shaking as he stared at the frantic wriggling of the monster’s legs. The creature was in its final convulsions, and while it was a sickening sight to be sure, he couldn’t look away.

“That, my friend, was the power of the Adamanti.” A more senior member of the research team clapped the man on the shoulder. “They’re the reason for our lack of security detail on these excursions.” He gave his shaking colleague a sympathetic look. “This is your first expedition, isn’t it Creevey? Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it soon enough.”

“Adamanti?” The man’s voice was now breathy in awe. “I’d never seen one before...they’re just as beautiful as they say.”

“Aye.” The other man shook his head at the greenhorn’s worshipping tone, before looking back at the Adamantians in question. They were now efficiently collecting samples from the dead centipede’s body. Their movements were too fast for the human eye to track. It looked as if they were watching a time lapse of the centipede’s body decomposing as the shining jeweled figures stripped the specimen of all potentially useful tissue.

“And just as deadly.”

 

-

The group returned to base, hauling the severed sections of the centipede carcass with their land rovers. They’d left to explore the planet’s surface and collect data on the nocturnal activities of the planet's inhabitants. Coming back with such a large unknown specimen was an unexpected and exciting find.

The leader of the Adamantians was giving their report to a committee of concerned council members. They all had a stake in the research being done on this expedition since teams from their individual planets had been involved.

“Why did you not call the base?” A toad-like human gave the Adamantian leader a look of grave disapproval, her bright pink lips pursed.

She despised working with these immortal freaks.

Adamantians never aged and were born fully formed from the sands of their planet. They weren’t of flesh and were instead sentient rock beings that assumed humanoid form. Even if their near indestructible gem bodies were to shatter, as long as all the shards could be recovered, they could still re-generate. They were the picture of invulnerable perfection.

Looking into the eyes of this chit of a girl and giving her even the shallowest courtesy a foreign dignitary required left a bad taste in the councilwoman’s mouth. From what she understood, the physical form of Adamantians were just projections, their true form being that of their gemstone. To the councilwoman, that meant Adamantians chose these beautiful, youthful appearances on purpose just to needle beings like her who had the decency to age and die as nature intended.

The girl in question calmly responded. “We had the matter well in hand. Outside assistance would have taken too long to arrive, and I considered it an unnecessary waste of time and resources.” She motioned to a black-haired boy from the line of subordinates behind her. “Emerald is one of our planet’s best combat specialists. I have full trust in his capabilities.”

On the floating screen to the right, a large horned creature spoke in a gravelly male voice. “I have no issue with the Adamantians’ conduct, council member Umbridge.”

“I don’t either!” A portly human male leaned forward eagerly from his position in the floating screen to the left. “The researchers from my planet have sent me a holovid of today’s events. Emerald's your name, then? I must say, your skills are extraordinary! A beast of that size would have taken a crew of men on my planet!”

The Adamantian leader gave a thin smile. “I’m sorry council member Bagman, but Emerald is just his title. On our home planet there are countless emerald gems, but only a few are ever combat-ready enough to be off-planet. Of those few, only the one that receives permission from lord Adamantium himself to leave our homeworld earns the title of Emerald. All other emerald gems are referred to by their birth names only.”

Councilman Bagman gave a laugh. “I see! So I guess all of you are the very cream of the crop.”

“Ahem.” Councilwoman Umbridge interjected with a little cough. “While this is all very interesting, it doesn’t address the matter at hand.” Giving the girl in front of her one last withering expression she ordered, “From now on, all excursions must have a security detail comprised of members from the Imperial military.”

Her voice was prim and proper, but her eyes were coldly self-satisfied. The security detail may slow the research team’s progress, but inconveniencing the Adamantians gave Umbridge a little thrill. She had been against their planet’s entering the intergalactic political sphere from the very beginning and she would see to it that all their efforts to expand their influence from their little backwater planet were swiftly headed off at the pass.

-

“Ugh, Sapphire, how could you just stand there and take that!” Ruby was so aggravated little red sparks had started crackling in his similarly flaming hair.

After being dismissed, they had returned to their common room to rest. In Ruby’s case however, he was obviously too worked up over the toad’s latest scheme to really relax.

“Honestly Ruby, I’m just as angry as you are. Having to wait for more Imperial soldiers will set us back weeks, if not months, but you know as well as I do that the council’s decisions can’t be questioned!” Sapphire was too controlled to show her frustration outwardly, but Emerald knew her bushy brown hair was getting even bushier in agitation.

Citrine raised pacifying hands. “We might have lost some time, but we would have needed a few weeks to study the samples we’ve collected anyways.”

Ruby gave a huff, but stopped pacing long enough to slump gracelessly on the couch where Orange Topaz and Moonstone were braiding each other’s hair. He sighed at them. “Well, aren’t you two carefree.”

Orange Topaz paused long enough in her braiding to give Ruby an exasperated look. “We can’t do anything about the Umbitch. We have to properly represent Adamantia, remember? So there’s no point in throwing tantrums.” She returned to the blond locks in front of her and Moonstone giggled as Ruby’s face flushed in anger.

Emerald watched the ensuing argument fondly.

Sapphire settled on the bench seat next to him. “What about you, Emerald? I thought you hated Councilwoman Umbridge the most?”

Emerald’s expression darkened. The councilwoman had made her position on Adamantians clear through the bills and campaigns she supported. They all sought to restrict Adamanti rights throughout the 'verse. Umbridge had waved the press off with a sugary voice, saying that she was only protecting vulnerable Adamantians from jewel poaching and slave trafficking, but Emerald knew better. The woman was a xenophobic toad of a human, whose pettiness and jealousy knew no bounds.

Adamantia was still a closed planet to most outside visitors, but when it had first been discovered by the rest of the ‘verse, Umbridge had been one of those most vocal about ‘colonizing the planet in the name of science.’ Everyone had been after the secret to Adamanti immortality and when talks had fallen through (as so many do when you know the intentions of the other party are anything but ‘mutually beneficial’), many planets had sent fleets to invade Adamantia. After numerous decades of failure and untold expenses, damages, and deaths, the Imperial Council had finally decreed that Adamantia would be joining the Imperial Confederacy of Planets and that they’d have their own seat upon the council.

Emerald was smart enough to know the truth behind the Imperial Council’s motives. In those last years, the tide of public opinion had turned against them and the governments of the planets most involved with the war effort had met much resistance from their own people. Emerald bitterly noted that if the council hadn’t been so worried about their dropping disapproval ratings and trying to cover their own ass, Adamantia would probably still be fending off invasion attempts to this day.

“I don’t hate the human any less.” Turning to stare at the dark expanse of the night sky outside the window, he gave a hollow laugh. “But I know her type. Being angry will only show her we’re affected by what she does and I won’t give her the satisfaction.”

Sapphire read the stubbornness found in Emerald's clenched jaw with a thoughtful hum. The true reason she trusted Emerald so unequivocally wasn’t because of any unmatched technical skill. It was because she knew without a doubt that Emerald’s will would never waver. His was an enduring spirit that never flinched from threats or danger but instead fought, won, and survived.

Getting up, she addressed the room with a few last words. “I’ll give Red Beryl a call to tell her our mission will have to be extended.”

They all nodded.

Ruby groaned into a pillow as she left. “Another month on this godforsaken rock.”

Emerald gave his shoulder a comforting pat. “How about you take care of the creature next time, then.”

Ruby lifted his head to give Emerald a side eye. “I’m not like you. Running after beasts and critters doesn’t get me going. And what if I get scratched? It’s not like we can get fixed up here like we would at home, you know.”

Emerald laughed. “For a gem with a hardness of 9, you’re surprisingly careful with yourself.”

He dodged the pillow flung in his direction.

**Author's Note:**

> *Adamantia - planet name
> 
> Adamanti - people
> 
> Adamantian - person, or Adamantians for persons
> 
> *Hardness refers to Mohs scale hardness. 
> 
> Character Profiles:
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://tinypic.com?ref=1zlrus4)  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> Citrine - A hardworking gem. Citrines are generally known as cheap alternatives for Topaz gems, and Citrine is very conscious of that. Orange Topaz assures him that it's all bullshit.
> 
>  
> 
> Moonstone - A dazed, dreamy gem. Most people find her actions baffling, but her friends know she's just listening to something they can't hear.
> 
>  
> 
> Orange Topaz - A fiery, spirited gem. She doesn't get along with the other Topaz gems and sticks with her group of friends.
> 
>  
> 
> Ruby - A rambunctious gem. He often gets into trouble and gets scolded by Sapphire. 
> 
>  
> 
> Sapphire - A very intelligent, competent gem. She's entrusted with many responsibilities and her superiors generally regard her as a very capable subordinate.
> 
>  
> 
> Emerald - A rebellious gem that doesn't do well with authority. Has either extremely good luck or extremely bad luck, depending on who you ask.


End file.
